Glastonbury 2022 - overcrowding rumours & thoughts

[Another eforum account]

7 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Since when have there been fireworks on the Wed? 😯

Still tho, was it as busy at the Park as it was at the Stone Circle? 

I really hope that all the loopholes and fence jumping places are tightened for 2023.

 

26 June 2019 was a Wednesday for the burning of the Phoenix’s presume there where fireworks to? 

[Skip997]

12 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Since when have there been fireworks on the Wed? 😯

 

 

I reckon for at least 10 years

[dotdash79]

16 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Still tho, was it as busy at the Park as it was at the Stone Circle? 

We walked through the park past the pier towards the stone circle and looked through the hedges and it didn’t look as busy as the park. But that was around 9pm

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

33 minutes ago, Skip997 said:

The bands that the bars give out aren't festival bands they're their own, often just flimsey paper ones. But it is possible to make yourself look official with a couple of these bar bands.

I think you got it the wrong way round, I think it's an extra 7000 attendees and 3000 staff.

According to their email, or at least that's how I read it, there were an extra 7k staff/performers. 

Or an extra 4k increase on staff and performers, totalling 7k.

Still, why would the need an extra 4k staff/performers for an extra 3k punters.

Edited July 8, 2022 by MEGATRONICMEATWAGON

[Johnnyseven]

1 hour ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

I've heard more about crew bars this year on eFests than ever before. Am I being a total n00b, or are crew bars as described, for crew only? Are they off the main strips and forbidden for non-crew attendees?

Crew can be quite a loose term. In 2019 I had a crew wristband as I played with a band that year who did a set in one of the backstage/crew bars. As well as the band we were also able to get crew wristbands for some of our mates who were also already in the festival. I was able to access 2 other crew bars with the wristband I had, didn't try any others. Similar happened this year, a mate played one of the backstage/crew bars during the festival and got me and some more of his mates crew bar wristbands. I didn't try this year but I'm pretty sure I would've been able to access l other crew bars with my wristband. At the end of the day, crew bars need to sell drinks - the more people that can access the more they can make.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Johnnyseven

[MonkeyPox]

On 7/8/2022 at 9:14 AM, moogster said:

I'm sure they go through lessons learned after the festival.

Regarding people being sneaked in by volunteers/workers, wouldn't there be some supervisors who would keep an eye on that? Or are they just too busy/disgruntled themselves as to spend time on this? 

The 'supervisors' are the worst of the lot. Some of them I know have personal 'guest lists' numbering in the high teens. It's easy enough to give people a high viz, a paint brush and set them at livening up a fence until the festival starts and they can then blend into the masses.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

11 hours ago, Another eforum account said:

26 June 2019 was a Wednesday for the burning of the Phoenix’s presume there where fireworks to? 

I'm trying to remember if there were ever fireworks before on the Wednesday. Either I was too preoccupied (drunk), or my memory is fading... 

[dotdash79]

Just now, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

I'm trying to remember if there were ever fireworks before on the Wednesday. Either I was too preoccupied (drunk), or my memory is fading... 

2019 there was fireworks, and in 2017 I’ve seen videos of fireworks.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

53 minutes ago, MonkeyPox said:

The 'supervisors' are the worst of the lot. Some of them I know have personal 'guest lists' numbering in the high teens. It's easy enough to give people a high viz, a paint brush and set them at livening up a fence until the festival starts and they can then blend into the masses.

Perhaps after COVID and the new wave of big events being broken into by the "I'm entitled to do what I want" movements, this could be an easy way for people to get in. I'm sure before there were people like that too, but prob the long break and the desperateness of ppl to attend exacerbated things.

Imagine being a supervisor and knowing the ins and outs of how ppl are counted in etc and telling all your mates you can get them in for Glasto and all they need to do for a couple of days is to tap the same nail and make it look like you're busy?

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

5 minutes ago, dotdash79 said:

2019 there was fireworks, and in 2017 I’ve seen videos of fireworks.

I remember there being fireworks at the end before, thought that was traditional now. 

Still, there well could have been some on Wed and I've just never noticed them.

[gooner1990]

13 hours ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

In the five years I've been, never have I ever seen the hill like that. Was that on the wed or Thurs?

Wednesday at 8pm approx. 

[sedra]

58 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

I remember there being fireworks at the end before, thought that was traditional now. 

Still, there well could have been some on Wed and I've just never noticed them.

It’s now the opening ceremony and was originally just the burning of the phoenix or whatever structure and then they added fireworks and now there are 3 lots of fireworks across the top of the site to try and spread out the numbers of people who go. This was 2016

[Gnomicide]

On 7/5/2022 at 2:58 PM, Havors said:

I seen multiple of groups of scousers 20+ and there is no way that many of a group can get tickets its statistically impossible.  

🙂

 

Our group was 30+ all bought legitimately so it's definitely possible. 

On 7/7/2022 at 2:16 AM, gooner1990 said:

I forgot that I had taken this…Weds early evening from our campsite which was behind the park…that hill is seriously busy! 

I was wondering if part of this was not advertising what was on on the Wednesday, maybe that caused more people to not have a plan and what better than going up the hill for a bit?

21 hours ago, fred quimby said:

Oddly I saw a girl with no band on, however, she did have it on here ankle. 

Maybe it had slipped.

[Zoo Music Girl]

I've been 10 times and think I've missed the fireworks every time 😀

Interesting thread from the perspective of someone who wasn't there this year. I don't know what to think as trusted long-timers on both sides and don't want to not take anyone's personal experience seriously.

I remember 2019 feeling really busy Weds and Thurs, to the point we were trying actively to find quiet spots, but this was also hugely exacerbated by the extreme heat.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Zoo Music Girl

[CaledonianGonzo]

There's no doubt that the photos of the Park Hill on the Wednesday look mobbed. However, we were in the SE Corner most of Wednesday night and it was quiet as fuck. Glasto Latino, Platform 23, Rocket Lounge etc all with music on but lots of space for dancing.

So still feels like a crowd trends thing.

[willgooneday]

22 hours ago, sedra said:

It’s now the opening ceremony and was originally just the burning of the phoenix or whatever structure and then they added fireworks and now there are 3 lots of fireworks across the top of the site to try and spread out the numbers of people who go. This was 2016

 

Assuming the security guards works 60 hours at £10.50 (a shite rate for the job, but mentioned by others on here the offered rate for SIA work) they'll take home £660. A fireworks display cost up to a £1000 a minute - I'd imagine at a site like Glasto your looking at a longish one? Maybe Glasto should reassess where they're spending ticket payers money so they don't get bent guards letting people in as rumoured and people so checked out of their jobs they can't keep people safe / a shortage of skilled staff? 

Edited July 10, 2022 by willgooneday

[musky]

37 minutes ago, willgooneday said:

 

Assuming the security guards works 60 hours at £10.50 (a shite rate for the job, but mentioned by others on here the offered rate for SIA work) they'll take home £660. A fireworks display cost up to a £1000 a minute - I'd imagine at a site like Glasto your looking at a longish one? Maybe Glasto should reassess where they're spending ticket payers money so they don't get bent guards letting people in as rumoured and people so checked out of their jobs they can't keep people safe / a shortage of skilled staff? 

It’s not a massive display to be honest - even a modest local Bonfire Night is way more spectacular. 

 

I’m sure security is a source of some of the people getting in without a ticket, but the industrial scale of smuggling people in that happened a few years ago has been clamped down on. Most of the comments here have been about other crew getting people in. It’s something that has always gone on, but the suggestion is that cost cutting and the bad feeling caused by it has led to an increase in the numbers getting in this way. 

Edited July 10, 2022 by musky

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

1 hour ago, willgooneday said:

 

Assuming the security guards works 60 hours at £10.50 (a shite rate for the job, but mentioned by others on here the offered rate for SIA work) they'll take home £660. A fireworks display cost up to a £1000 a minute - I'd imagine at a site like Glasto your looking at a longish one? Maybe Glasto should reassess where they're spending ticket payers money so they don't get bent guards letting people in as rumoured and people so checked out of their jobs they can't keep people safe / a shortage of skilled staff? 

I agree with this.

Not just the money, but I think fireworks are one of the most overrated forms of "entertainment" going. For New Years on the Thames or Sydney Opera House, fine, but sending a load of smoke and gunpowder into the air for a few short minutes (esp at an environmentally friendly fest like G), does seem a bit kitsch/overkill. I've noticed it more and more during headline performances on all stages as well.

I'm not sure how many security/stewards are on site. They'd prob only get an extra 5er each over the whole day if the money was re-routed to them, but still, surely the money can be better spent or they can think of a better way to open the festival. They got rid of Chinese lanterns, so why not do away with fireworks?

Display a timed message on all the major stages simultaneously? Might seem a bit 1984, I guess depending on the message. A giant Michael welcoming everyone to the farm... Ha!

 

 

 

[brandycoke]

12 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

I agree with this.

Not just the money, but I think fireworks are one of the most overrated forms of "entertainment" going. For New Years on the Thames or Sydney Opera House, fine, but sending a load of smoke and gunpowder into the air for a few short minutes (esp at an environmentally friendly fest like G), does seem a bit kitsch/overkill. I've noticed it more and more during headline performances on all stages as well.

I'm not sure how many security/stewards are on site. They'd prob only get an extra 5er each over the whole day if the money was re-routed to them, but still, surely the money can be better spent or they can think of a better way to open the festival. They got rid of Chinese lanterns, so why not do away with fireworks?

Display a timed message on all the major stages simultaneously? Might seem a bit 1984, I guess depending on the message. A giant Michael welcoming everyone to the farm... Ha!

 

 

 

Killjoy 😀

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

1 hour ago, brandycoke said:

Killjoy 😀

Haha. Sorry. I just find fireworks mega unexciting, never understood them. Even when I was a child and was dragged to Castle Park by my parents for Bonfire Night. Think that's prob why I have never remembered them.

Possibly, I'm also exhausted and not in the best moods 😉

[DeanoL]

Yeah the fact that the only thing the programme mentioned on Wednesday was fireworks over The Park explains a lot of that.

[Ayrshire Chris]

A lot has been said about overcrowding at sets such as wet leg etc but watching the reruns on tv there seems to be reasonable spaces near the front of the stages.  Certainly towards the middle always seems more crowded.  Maybe more thought should go into the timing of the more popular acts and what stage they are placed on. For instance mcfly and Paul Heaton on smaller stages wasn’t the best idea, it was obvious they would attract big crowds. 

[Leyrulion]

2 hours ago, Ayrshire Chris said:

A lot has been said about overcrowding at sets such as wet leg etc but watching the reruns on tv there seems to be reasonable spaces near the front of the stages.  Certainly towards the middle always seems more crowded.  Maybe more thought should go into the timing of the more popular acts and what stage they are placed on. For instance mcfly and Paul Heaton on smaller stages wasn’t the best idea, it was obvious they would attract big crowds. 

Down the side of wet leg was fine (stage right after lands end bar) it was busy but not enough to think it was dangerously crowded. 

Same story all week, the entrance to the Pyramid stage pit was shoulder to shoulder but as soon as you got past the screen into the centre there was acres of space (enough to put your arm in front of you and not touch someone)

[blutarsky]

19 hours ago, Leyrulion said:

Down the side of wet leg was fine (stage right after lands end bar) it was busy but not enough to think it was dangerously crowded. 

Same story all week, the entrance to the Pyramid stage pit was shoulder to shoulder but as soon as you got past the screen into the centre there was acres of space (enough to put your arm in front of you and not touch someone)

That's where I was and it was fine. 

[Leyrulion]

4 minutes ago, blutarsky said:

That's where I was and it was fine. 

Probably saw you! 

We went early because we overhead about 20 conversations on the Thursday talking about wet leg. We felt it was going to be rammed. 

Would have had a better spot but had to stop for food and the park had basically no good options and all had a huge queue (and terrible value for money imo).